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Ajax reportedly in talks to sign Sofyan Amrabat as free agent
The Dutch-born Moroccan midfielder would return to the Eredivisie after a career that has spanned seven clubs across five countries.
Sofyan Amrabat has verbally agreed to join Ajax as a free agent, bringing the well-traveled midfielder back to the Netherlands where his professional career began nearly a decade ago.
The deal would reunite Amrabat with Dutch football after stops in Belgium, Italy, England, Spain, and Turkey. For Ajax, it addresses a midfield gap that has lingered since Edson Álvarez departed the club, and it does so without a transfer fee.
A career that reads like a European travel itinerary
Amrabat, born in Huizen, Netherlands, on August 21, 1996, has built a resume that spans seven clubs and five countries. He started at Utrecht before moving to Feyenoord, then headed to Club Brugge in Belgium, Fiorentina in Italy, a loan stint at Manchester United, time at Real Betis in Spain, and most recently Fenerbahçe in Turkey.
Back in 2017, when Amrabat was still at Utrecht, Ajax came calling. He chose Feyenoord instead.
His most recent permanent club was Fenerbahçe, where he signed on July 1, 2025, for a reported fee of around €12 million. That contract was understood to run until June 2028.
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What Amrabat brings to Amsterdam
The 30-year-old midfielder has racked up over 78 international caps for Morocco. His profile rose dramatically during Morocco’s stunning run to the 2022 World Cup semifinals in Qatar, where the Atlas Lions became the first African team to reach that stage of the tournament.
Amrabat was part of the Moroccan squad that claimed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title. His loan at Manchester United during the 2023-24 season included an FA Cup victory.
After that, a loan to Real Betis followed before his permanent move to Fenerbahçe. Betis reportedly had renewed interest in bringing him back as recently as August 2026, but Fenerbahçe’s asking price proved to be a sticking point in those negotiations.